Thursday, March 19, 2026, 11:30 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection
The Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection held its FY2027 preliminary budget hearing for the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), chaired by Council Member Harvey Epstein. Commissioner Sam Levin testified that the proposed budget is approximately $73.4 million with 387 active staff dedicated to the agency's work, down from prior-year levels, and described a six-month backlog in worker protection cases. Council members repeatedly pressed the administration on the gap between the Mayor's stated commitment to double the agency's budget and the staffing shortfalls identified for new laws (roughly 302 new lines, including 170 for for-hire vehicle deactivation, 34 for delivery worker deactivation, and 26 for street vendor licensing). Topics included junk fees, the FARE Act broker fee law, deed theft, immigration services fraud, tobacco enforcement, financial empowerment programs, Kids Rise, and the Summer student loan portal. Public testimony, largely from legal services and worker advocacy organizations, uniformly urged the Council to double or significantly increase DCWP funding and to support discretionary legal services initiatives.
0:13 Thank you good morning ladies
0:13 and gentlemen welcome to the
0:15 New York City Council hearing
0:17 for the committee on consumer
0:19 and worker protection at this
0:20 time I'd like to remind
0:22 everyone to please silence all
0:24 devices and at no point you
0:25 approach the dais if you want
0:27 to testify at today's hearing
0:28 please see a sergeant at arms
0:30 at the back of the room t
0:30 ofill out a testimony slip.
0:32 Chair we are ready to begin
0:36 hi good morning everyone I'm
0:38 welcome to the 20 27 fiscal
0:41 budget hearing my name is
0:42 Harvey Epstein and folks that
0:43 don't know me really I'm
0:44 honored and privileged to chat r
0:48 protection you know I'm really
0:49 glad that you know I have the
0:51 commissioner here and the
0:53 staff I want to thank my
0:55 colleagues you know the
0:56 councilman I saying saying
0:57 thanks for joining us today
0:58 and we're going to really
0:59 review the budget process and
1:01 look over kind of these budget
1:03 issues the budget items you
1:04 know the budget we've seen
1:07 today the budget it's 17.7 so
1:13 $74.7 million about 38 in
1:15 personal expenses supporting
1:18 484 budget staffers it's like
1:20 decrease from the ski fiscal
1:21 year 26 budget which was $75.1
1:26 million and also 38000006
1:31 838.6 million for other
1:32 personal expenses for a lot of
1:32 topics we're going to be
1:34 discussing today hopefully
1:35 with the
1:35 . Panel here and the people
1:36 who are testifying around the
1:39 ability for this department of
1:42 sikh restitution for workers
1:44 and protection and for
1:45 consumers you know talk about
1:46 the vacancy rates in the
1:47 agency and what's happening
1:50 there and how important the
1:51 work that that this agency
1:53 does provide financial support
1:55 and other support for people
1:57 in this.
1:57 Community it was really
1:59 critical that we understand
1:59 how we can be helpful here t
2:02 othe to the agency to make sure
2:03 that it really connects up
2:05 with consumers you know I want
2:06 to thank the work that you've
2:07 done so far you know it's only
2:09 been a little over two months
2:11 since the end of this roll and
2:13 I know you and the commission
2:15 has done a lot of work t
2:15 oadvance the rights of workers
2:17 and consumers I really look
2:18 forward to a really robust
2:20 engagement here on this
2:22 process and I want to thank
2:23 the committee staff you know
2:27 finance division glenn marty
2:28 ali dan koop cmo oh jubouri
2:30 and the alleged division sarah
2:33 swann and allie meltzer for
2:34 the work as well as my team t
2:36 ohelp this hearing happen today
2:37 . And then I would like to ask
2:39 the committee counsel t
2:40 opolice were and the members of
2:42 the administration good
2:44 morning.
2:45 Good morning do you affirm
2:45 to tell the truth the whole
2:46 truth and nothing but the
2:47 truth before this committee
2:48 and to respond honestly t
2:51 ocouncil member questions
2:51 . I do thank you and you and
2:54 you can begin with your
2:56 testimony thank you chair
2:57 Epstein and thank you members
2:58 of the committee and consumer
3:00 and worker protection my name
3:02 is sam levin commissioner of
3:03 the department of consumer and
3:06 worker protection today I'm
3:07 joined by the general counsel
3:08 mike tiger and my chief of
3:09 staff carlos ortiz and our
3:11 deputy commissioner of the
3:12 office of labor policy and
3:14 standards elizabeth waggoner
3:16 thank you for the opportunity
3:17 to be here today before this
3:20 committee to testify in the
3:21 critical work of our agency
3:22 and its budget for fiscal year e
3:27 nation's leading municipal
3:28 enforcement agency charged
3:30 with delivering economic
3:32 justice d c w p leverage is
3:33 its authority to bring New
3:35 yorkers real economic relief
3:36 and protect them from
3:38 predatory deceptive and
3:39 unconscionable practices that
3:41 violate their rights as
3:42 consumers and workers this
3:45 includes pioneering cutting
3:45 edge protections such as the
3:48 city's consumer protection law
3:49 portended time off law fair
3:51 workweek week law and delivery
3:53 worker laws including the
3:54 minimum pay rate for deliver
3:56 yworkers to licensing more than
3:58 45000 businesses and over 4
4:01 5industries insures fair fair
4:03 competition and a level
4:04 playing field for responsible
4:06 businesses that are an
4:07 integral part of New York
4:08 city's vibrant communities
4:10 . E w p also provides
4:12 essential services such as
4:13 free tax preparation for
4:15 individuals and families as
4:16 well as tax prep services for
4:18 self employed workers and
4:20 small businesses.
4:21 And one on one financial
4:23 counseling to ensure that New
4:24 yorkers keep more of what they
4:25 earn and can plan for their
4:27 futures we are committed t
4:29 omaking sure New York City is a
4:30 fairer and more affordable
4:31 place to live I'm incredibly
4:34 honored to be be entrusted
4:37 with leading it's next next
4:38 chapter under Mayor mamdani
4:40 administration under my tenure k
4:45 er's and our mission t
4:47 odeliver economic justice to
4:48 consumers and workers across
4:49 our City will be stronger than
4:51 ever I look forward to being a
4:53 close partner with this
4:54 council
4:54 . And I thank you for your
4:57 work passing historic
4:58 legislation and supporting the
4:59 work of our department.
5:01 Today I'll provide the
5:01 committee with a fiscal
5:04 overview of our agency our
5:05 successes over the past year
5:07 and our path forward
5:08 continuing to build a fairer
5:10 and more affordable City for
5:13 all so starting by talking
5:14 about our budget for fiscal
5:16 year 20 27 budget is
5:20 approximately $73.4 million
5:22 but then authorized head count
5:24 of 404 and an active head
5:25 count of 425 of this active
5:29 head count only 387 are
5:32 actually dedicated to work
5:35 last year our team conducted
5:36 more than 52000 inspections
5:38 and 1230 investigations on
5:41 behalf of consumers and
5:42 workers securing $47.5 million
5:46 in real.
5:46 Economic relief for New York l
5:49 empowerment centers helped
5:50 nearly 10000 clients with free
5:52 one on one financial
5:54 counseling and are free prep
5:56 prep program completed more a
5:58 hundred 10000 tax returns for
5:59 New York our's we are beyond
6:01 proud of the work that we have
6:04 accomplished this past year
6:06 and with Mayor mamdani
6:07 standing beside us we are
6:08 looking forward to being able
6:10 to accomplish even more for
6:11 the City of New York since her
6:14 landmark consumer protection
6:15 law was passed more than half
6:16 rights of New York City
6:22 consumers and have focused our
6:23 efforts on securing economic
6:26 relief protecting New York
6:26 er's from deceptive and
6:28 unconscionable business
6:29 practices and ensuring that
6:30 New York City is a fair
6:32 marketplace for all businesses
6:33 who comply with the law last
6:40 year alone consumers and we're
6:42 continuing this work
6:44 aggressively just this year
6:45 we've announced a lawsuits
6:47 against businesses exploiting
6:49 and cheating cheating New York
6:50 er's seeking millions in
6:52 penalties and restitution for
6:55 aggrieved consumers our case
6:55 against extra space takes on
6:56 the business of of the takes
6:57 on the for for their false
7:00 advertising bait and switch
7:01 áááá and clear violations of
7:03 our consumer protection law
7:05 for which were seeking at
7:06 least $5 million in penalties
7:09 and restitution we're also
7:10 seeking nearly $20 million
7:13 from radiant solar for its
7:13 deceptive and illegal schemes
7:14 that drove up utility costs
7:16 for New York consumers finally n
7:20 against three major employment
7:24 agencies cmp golden rose and
7:25 elonis for systematically
7:27 exploiting economically
7:27 vulnerable New York er's with
7:29 illegal advance fees this
7:31 action has already led t
7:32 oalmost a million dollars in
7:34 restitution for New York job
7:36 seekers so that they can feed
7:37 and house their families and
7:38 we're going to continue this
7:40 work
7:41 . In the last year as the
7:43 council knows our mandate grew h
7:46 New and innovative protections
7:48 for consumers across the five
7:50 boroughs last we implemented
7:52 councilmember o says historic
7:54 fair act banning costly forest
7:57 broker fees and ensuring
7:58 prospective tenants have
7:59 clarity and other fees related
8:00 to the apartment rental.
8:03 I agree councilmember I
8:07 agree we also implemented
8:08 speaker men and safe hotels at
8:11 creating stronger standards
8:12 for consumers and workers at
8:14 hotels ah this implementation
8:16 highlighted the efficiency of
8:17 our licensing customer service
8:19 . With licenses being approved
8:20 and only two days and in
8:24 person wait times being an
8:25 average of only four minutes
8:27 in support of small businesses n
8:30 on the enactment of a license
8:33 reform package which eases
8:35 regulatory burdens and
8:37 modernizes requirements for
8:38 small businesses across the
8:38 City and we advocated strongly
8:41 in favor of the package of
8:42 excuse me of the passage of
8:44 the street vendor reform
8:46 package allowing more of our
8:48 cities smallest businesses t
8:50 ooperate in compliance with
8:53 City laws in the mamdani
8:54 administration has already
8:57 taken aggressive and
8:57 innovative measures t
8:59 oleverage our authority to
9:00 ensure that newyorker York
9:01 er's have a fierce protector
9:02 and City government under
9:04 under this Mayor we announced
9:06 the adoption of the strongest
9:07 prohibition on hotel junk fees
9:09 in the united states which
9:11 will prep New York is
9:12 traveling outside the City and
9:14 those visiting our City from
9:16 facing unexpected and costly
9:16 fees when traveling just last
9:19 month we announced the
9:20 publication of the stopping
9:23 harassment and intimidation
9:24 and ensuring lawful debt
9:25 collection rule the shield
9:27 rule a New debt collection
9:28 rule that provides New yorkers
9:30 with the nation's strongest
9:32 protections against debt
9:34 collector harassment that rule
9:35 far surpasses the protections
9:37 afforded by federal
9:39 regulations and delivers first
9:40 in the nation innovative
9:42 protections.
9:43 Related to the collection of
9:45 medical death
9:46 . In this New era of
9:48 accountability we will go
9:49 further than ever before t
9:50 ocrack down and deceptive
9:52 predatory corporate practices
9:54 like junk fees and onerous
9:56 subscription traps predatory
9:57 industries have been put on
9:59 notice comply with the laws of
10:01 New York City or face
10:04 consequences just yesterday
10:05 deputy Mayor sue officially
10:07 launched the city's junk feed
10:08 task force which we are co
10:10 chairing and we are excited
10:12 about the potential to develop
10:14 more groundbreaking policy t
10:16 ostop these practices that are
10:18 directly undermining
10:19 affordability for New York
10:21 er's and Mayor mamdani tze
10:22 rent a rip off hearings have
10:23 been a major step in
10:25 identifying the key issues
10:26 affecting renters are in our
10:28 City including onerous and
10:30 costly fees such as the broker
10:31 fees that Council Member jose
10:33 targeted with the fair act
10:34 this is all to say that we are
10:36 here to deliver economic
10:38 relief for consumers who have
10:40 been wronged and we have sent
10:42 a clear message that preying
10:44 on New yorkers will come with
10:46 severe consequences.
10:47 I also want to talk about
10:49 our ground breaking worker
10:52 initiatives.
10:53 Db has been and will
10:54 continue to be here to ensure
10:56 that workers across the City
10:58 who can come to our office and
11:00 that we can set the standards
11:02 for worker rights and labor
11:03 standards across the united
11:06 states our cutting edge worker
11:06 protection laws not only
11:08 establish greater stability in
11:10 workers schedules incomes and
11:12 employment but also ensure
11:13 that workers are treated
11:14 fairly and with dignity when
11:17 companies violate worker's
11:18 rights we prioritize
11:19 monetarily for workers and
11:21 hold employers accountable t
11:22 othe fullest extent of the law
11:24 last year was a historic year
11:26 for our worker protection
11:27 efforts.
11:28 With this committee we
11:29 passed laws to strengthen
11:31 existing protections
11:32 . And we delivered a record
11:34 breaking $44.4 million I
11:37 nrestitution to more than 24000
11:39 workers through enforcement
11:41 through enforcement of our
11:42 cornerstone workplace
11:43 protection laws this includes
11:44 the biggest worker protection
11:46 case in New York City history
11:49 a landmark $38. Million $38.
11:53 9Million settlement against
11:54 starbucks for violations of
11:55 our fair workweek law as you
11:59 all know is a national leader
12:00 in developing and implementing
12:01 cutting edge labor protections e
12:05 protections to raise labor
12:06 standards for workers across
12:08 industries in 20 25 we
12:11 strengthened our cornerstone
12:11 workplace laws while
12:13 advocating for protections in
12:14 New industries with the help
12:15 of council members Nurse
12:18 Gutiérrez and Abreu we
12:18 expanded our delivery worker
12:20 laws strengthening protections
12:22 relating to tipping and pay
12:24 transparency and expanding the
12:25 minimum pay rate to grocery
12:27 delivery workers and other
12:29 existing protections to all
12:30 contract delivery workers we
12:31 also worked closely with
12:34 councilmember Krishnan to pass
12:36 much needed deactivation
12:37 protections for delivery
12:38 workers and for hire vehicle
12:40 drivers securing stability and
12:41 employment for tens of
12:42 thousands of hardworking New
12:43 York er's with the help of
12:45 labor partners and council
12:47 member we fought to to enact
12:49 the holland etienne safety and
12:52 security which will provide
12:53 security guards that us safe
12:54 each and every day with better
12:56 pay and benefits standards and
12:59 just last month are protected
13:00 excuse me our strengthened
13:02 protected protected time law
13:03 went into into a New York City
13:09 workers requiring additional
13:09 32 hours of unpaid time and
13:11 expanding the reasons that
13:12 employees can take time off
13:16 including childcare workplace
13:18 violations public benefits
13:18 eour benchmark report
13:24 represents a standard for
13:25 worker rights and stable
13:26 schedules that the rest of the
13:28 nation can look to as a model
13:32 . This is just the beginning wt
13:36 start strides in 20 26 taking